A Phantom's Beauty
by QueenOfDisney96
Summary: Erik is a cruel and heartless prince whom thinks he can do whatever he wants without consequences... It's a big surprise to both himself and the people of Mederia when a young Farmer's daughter named Bella finally stands up to him. Based on the 2014 Mini series Beauty & The Beast starring Alessandro Preziosi and Blanca Suarez
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Rise Up**

* * *

The valley of Mederia was once vast and vibrant under the rule of Prince Erik and his beloved fiance, Christine... But then one terrible night a fire claimed the west wing tower of their castle and Prince Erik lost everything... He lost his fiance to the flames, he lost his ability to love... and the right side of his once handsome face became tarnished with a monstrous scar that he from that day forward covered with a white porcelain half mask.

* * *

The prince's heart grew hard and cold, resembling that of a single lump of useless coal and it was the people of Mederia whom were unfortunately on the receiving end of his cruelty; Erik taxed the heart and soul out of the valley's residents and no longer gave a second thought as to their welfare when it came to harvesting their crops for supplies to fill his castle's kitchen.

* * *

People shied away from the firm gaze of the prince as he oversaw his men gathering the village's harvest,

"Who does he think he is?" A young woman asked, shaking her head unimpressed causing her father to place a gentle hand on her arm in attempts to make her turn away,

"Be silent my child. We don't need any unnecessary aimed wrath from the prince" the farmer told his daughter whom rolled her eyes,

"His actions now are unnecessary, papa" the daughter reasoned, turning her head back to watch a man pleaded with the prince's men not to take his harvest; informing them that his wife was heavily pregnant and would soon give birth to a child but the men simply shoved him roughly into a mud puddle,

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" The farmer's daughter yelled, pushing her way through the crowd,

"Bella!" her father tried to protest as the young woman began helping the man stand from the mud puddle as he avoided eye contact with everyone out of shame; The young woman named Bella turned a glaring gaze towards the prince whom sat above his black stallion,

"You have enough supplies. There is no need for you to take more" Bella told him firmly, glaring even more when the prince simply smirked in amusement,

"Why should I eat stored produce when I can obtain fresh supplies?" he asked simply,

"You can afford to live without all you have taken today. You already have enough. This man and his wife are about to have a child. They need this food a lot more than you do" Bella told him firmly, watching as the prince retained his amused smirk whilst holding up his hand to make his guard halt in his intentions to arrest Bella,

"... If you feel so strongly then please..." Erik insisted before gesturing to the cart full of vegetables and fruit,

"Take it back" he instructed with a warning tone causing his men to laugh but their laughter faded and Erik's amused smirk did the same when Bella approached the cart and retrieved the crate of food that Erik's men had just taken from mud covered man and his wife.

* * *

Erik dismounted his horse, glaring as he watched Bella pass the crate of food back to the man and his wife before ushering them back into their home; Bella turned, looking up at the masked prince with a glare on her face that Erik easily matched,

"I should have you thrown in the dungeon for that" Erik growled,

"I would happily be thrown into your dungeon knowing that someone finally stood up to you" Bella replied firmly causing Erik's eyes to burn with anger filled hatred,

"I AM YOUR PRINCE! I DEMAND RESPECT!" He roared,

"Respect is earned. Not taken" Bella replied with a simple soft tone; She didn't even flinch when the masked prince angrily grasped her cheeks in a firm grip,

"Know this... When I become king. I shall delight in knowing that you will have no choice but to bow to me" he growled, turning away sharply with intentions to remount his steed,

"... You will never be a king to me" Bella called after him causing the gathered crowd to gasp in shock at her bravery... Erik clenched his fist in anger as the farmer quickly rushed forward,

"Please sire. Forgive my daughter, she's just stubborn" he tried,

"Arrest her" Erik ordered, ignoring the farmers pleas as Erik's men approached Bella, clasping iron manacles around her wrists; The masked Prince was even more infuriated by the fact that Bella continued to keep her eyes locked with his own as she glared at him after offering a soft smile to her father, telling him that she would be ok.

* * *

**Uh Oh what awaits Bella at the castle!**

**Review For Chapter 2! Quickly now!**

**Kind Regards,**

**DisneyGirl1996**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Step Back**

* * *

Prince Erik's men threw a shackled Bella into the dungeon tower of the masked prince's castle and the young woman couldn't help but sigh as she looked around the dark, damp cell that had only one small, thin rectangular window that only gave view of the peak of a mountain off in the far distance,

"What are you in for?" a voice asked causing Bella to turn to find a finely dressed man in the cell opposite her own,

"... I stood up to the prince when he came to take another ridiculous amount of the people's harvest despite the fact that he has more than enough" Bella explained after a moment of silence and watched as the old man with a kind face chuckled,

"Oh how I would have loved to see the look on his face when you stood up to him... The prince is a stubborn man and refuses to admit whenever he is wrong" the man pointed out before standing from the cold tiled floor on which he had been sitting; He approached the bars of his cell so that he could offer a polite smile,

"What might the name of the young lady brave enough to stand up to the masked bastard be?" he teased lightly causing Bella to giggle gently,

"Bella" she introduced before noticing his fine, luxurious garments,

"Forgive me for saying so but you don't look like the type of man whom should be in jail" Bella told him gently, causing the old man to chuckle,

"And you do not look like the type of woman whom should be here either... However you are correct. Usually I would not be here but apparently as the prince's official manservant it is my duty to make sure to bring his morning coffee instead of accidentally bringing Lady Meg's morning tea by mistake" the old man explained in a tired manner before smiling at Bella gently,

"You may call me, Nadir" he told her, reaching his hand through the bars of his cell, prompting Bella to do the same so they could shake hands in greeting.

* * *

Nadir watched as Bella attempted to see more from the small thin window of her cell and he sighed sadly,

"I'm afraid you won't see anything from that window other than that mountain's peak my dear... The unfortunate advantage of a dungeon is that it steals practically all hope of freedom from its inhabitants" Nadir told her just as a guard entered the tower and proceeded to open Nadir's cell,

"You're in luck Persian. The prince needs your assistance with organising royal documents" the guard grumbled as Nadir emerged from his cell and couldn't help but look at Bella with a guilty expression but she offered him a reassuring smile,

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me" she insisted and he nodded gently,

"I'll bring you up some decent food when I can" he assured her before following the guard and Bella now found herself alone with the surrounding silence... She sighed, gently kicking some straw that lined the cell floor but Bella frowned when she discovered a small piece of chalk that one of the previous cell occupants must have been using to mark their days of imprisonment on the cell wall... Bella frowned thoughtfully before looking up at the small thin window and she was soon smiling softly to herself as she came up with an idea.

* * *

Meanwhile, Erik was in his study, grumbling and muttering under his breath as he applied his signature to royal documents when Nadir entered the room,

"I hear that someone gave you trouble in the village, sire" Nadir noted politely as he began organising the papers that the masked prince had already signed,

"Nothing I couldn't handle" Erik grumbled simply,

"... Perhaps throwing her in the dungeon is not exactly the best reaction to her... interaction with you, sire" Nadir suggested but jumped when Erik stood abruptly,

"Are you trying to tell me how to run my own kingdom?!" he snapped but Nadir shook his head quickly,

"Absolutely not, sire. As you know I am not one for gossip but I can see how throwing a mere woman into the dungeon for speaking back to you in such a disgraceful manner would make people start whispering that perhaps you were actually offended by a simple female's stubborn behaviour" Nadir feigned knowing Erik's stubborn nature would hate the idea of people thinking a woman could offend him... Nadir hid his amused smirk as he watched the prince turn away to look out the window at the village down in the valley from his castle,

"The way she spoke to me was treason. She publicly announced that she would never see me as the king I shall soon be. All traitors must be punished" Erik reasoned simply,

"Absolutely sire. You couldn't be more correct but why give the girl the attention she was obviously seeking? People thrown into the dungeon are known to be true threats to the crown... She is no threat to you... Is she sire?" Nadir asked the prince with a hidden smug tone and Erik grumbled to himself before retaking his seat at his desk and began applying his signature to more documents,

"... I shall ponder over a more suitable punishment for her" he grumbled and Nadir couldn't help but breathe a silent sigh of relief.

* * *

It was the next morning that Erik finally instructed Nadir to fetch Bella from the dungeon and put her to work with Madame Carlotta. The head of the household,

"I have good news for you Bella, my dear" Nadir announced as he entered the dungeon tower but he became silent as he came to stand before Bella's cell and he looked in astonishment as he looked at the far wall of the cell adjacent from the bars... Bella had drawn a magnificent landscape that lined up perfectly with the view of the mountain peak from the small thin rectangular window... Nadir was drawn from his admiration of the chalk drawing when Bella yawned tiredly as she woke up and sat up slowly after seeing him,

"Oh... Good morning, Nadir" Bella greeted before standing as a guard came and unlocked her cell for Nadir,

"... Your drawing it's..." Nadir struggled to find words and Bella couldn't help but blush gently,

"Oh... It's just a doodle. My mother used to teach me to draw a long time ago..." Bella explained sadly and so Nadir knew better than to press her on the subject so he simply offered her a kind smile,

"I have good news for you. The prince has retracted your prison sentence and instead you are going to be working for the royal household instead" Nadir explained but Bella looked far from pleased,

"I'd rather eat rotten fruit than work for that monster" Bella said with a simple, firm tone and Nadir couldn't help but chuckle,

"Don't worry you won't be working with him. You'll be working for the royal house keeper, Lady Carlotta" Nadir explained before leading her out of the dungeon tower as she reluctantly followed,

"Well as long as I don't have to run in the same circles as him then I guess that's ok" Bella admitted as Nadir lead her downstairs towards the kitchens,

"You have nothing to fear, I promise. The only servant who really sees the prince is myself. You and the other staff members will mostly be tending to Lady Meg" Nadir explained,

"Whose Lady Meg?" Bella asked curiously,

"Lady Meg would have been Prince Erik's Sister in Law... Well... At least she would have been but then... Princess Christine was..." Nadir tried sadly, looking at Bella with an expression that matched his tone,

"I'm sorry its just... Princess Christine was very dear to all the residents of the castle and the memory of her is a sore subject for us all... Especially for the prince" Nadir explained,

"Lady Meg and Prince Erik went through such a horrible time after the fire that claimed Princess Christine... The prince was kind enough to open up his home to Lady Meg despite having no family obligations to her but he knew how much her sister meant to Christine and he knew that it would have made her happy to know that he was allowing her to stay in the castle after her passing..." Nadir told Bella whom couldn't help but match his sad expression but watched as Nadir sighed before shaking his head unimpressed,

"Unfortunately its been 3 long years since Christine's passing and Lady Meg doesn't exactly act subtle when it comes to her obvious attraction and flirtations towards the prince" Nadir told Bella quietly whom couldn't help but develop a horrified expression,

"Has she no shame?... The prince was engaged to her sister" Bella noted,

"Indeed but she seems to think that Prince Erik's welcoming her into his home was his way of saying he intended for her to take Christine's place in his heart one day" Nadir mumbled, shaking his head unimpressed once more before leading Bella into the kitchens so that he could introduce her to who she would be working with.

* * *

It was in another part of the castle that found the masked prince, sitting in the dark of the parlour, nursing a glass of fine whisky,

"Sulking again?" a dainty voice asked causing Erik to grumble,

"I'm not in the mood, Meg. Go away" he instructed simply, downing his whisky in one gulp before pouring himself a fresh glass as Meg approached his chair from behind and began applying a massage to his strong shoulders,

"Awww... Is the future king still all prickly because a scullery maid spoke back to him?" she teased in a tone that people would usually address babies with; Erik shrugged off her touch before standing abruptly, walking away from her and Meg giggled,

"Surely you aren't going to let her get away with such atrocious behaviour?" Meg inquired as Erik took another drink from his glass before pouring himself another,

"If you must know... I've informed Lady Carlotta to work her tirelessly with no breaks" Erik grumbled, rolling his eyes when Meg giggled again,

"I see... And yet she will never respect you" Meg told him, approach him and moved to stand in front of him so that she could run a seductive finger down his arm,

"... No one will ever respect you as much as I do..." she whispered, leaning up so she could brush her lips against his ear after watching him smirk down at her... However Meg soon frowned when Erik pulled away and downed another glass of whisky,

"I've been meaning to tell you that Lord Joseph Bouquet will be paying us a visit within a week's time... He intends to request my blessing to take your hand in marriage... And I intend to accept" Erik told her smugly before leaving the room... Leaving an outraged Meg behind him whom stomped her foot childish manner.

* * *

**Review for Chapter 3! **

**Kind Regards,**

**DisneyGirl1996**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Dark Intentions**

* * *

Meg was sulking in her room, applying lazy brushes to her blonde curls when a gentle knock was applied upon her door,

"Enter" she instructed with a bored tone, prompting a lady to enter the room followed by Bella,

"Apologies for intruding my lady but I wished to introduce you to our new serving girl, Bella" the head of household explained and Meg smiled brightly, standing from her chair and placing her hairbrush back on the dresser before turning,

"So this is the infamous young lady, brave enough to stand up to the prince" Meg stated excitedly, clapping her hands enthusiastically like a child before approaching Bella and took her hands in her own,

"It is such an honour to meet you. It's about time someone stood up to him. It is no surprise that everyone is seeing you as a hero" Meg praised and Bella couldn't help but offer a bashful smile,

"Oh I... I wasn't trying to be a hero I was just trying to do the right thing" Bella reasoned,

"Brave and modest oh you're such a treasure!" Meg squealed in delight,

"... My apologies, my lady but the prince wished for me to inform you that the seamstress will be arriving later this evening so that you can have a new dress before Lord Joseph arrives later this week" Lady Carlotta informed and Meg couldn't help but grown unimpressed,

"Urrrr... Very well. I swear that Erik lives only to torture me" she grumbled before leading Bella towards her dressing table and offered her hairbrush to her,

"Would you mind?" Meg asked, watching as Bella nodded, accepting the hairbrush before Meg sat down so that she could begin brushing her hair,

"Carlotta would you mind bringing me up a snack? I'm craving something sweet" Meg asked,

"Of course, my lady" Carlotta replied with a polite curtsy before leaving the room; There was a long silence before Meg released a rather dramatic sign,

"... In case you're wondering whom Lord Joseph is. The prince intends to marry me off to the old dog" Meg mumbled and Bella couldn't help but frown,

"Marry you off?... Can't you just refuse?" Bella asked in a gentle, curious manner that caused Meg to giggle,

"Oh my darling Bella, You are so adorable... Yes I could in usual circumstances but in this case I can not... It was always my sister Christine's dream for me to find a husband whom would take care of me as she was certain that Erik was going to do for her... After she died, Erik made it his mission to find me such a husband and... well despite the fact that Lord Joseph is an ancient pig with an obvious wandering eye... He is rich and a highly respected man from a noble family" Meg mumbled with a sad pout,

"I'm sorry" Bella told her gently, prompting Meg to smile at her through the reflection of her dressing table mirror,

"Enough talk of such a miserable subject... Let us talk of something happier. I'm sure you have someone special waiting for you back at the village?" Meg enquired gently but frowned when Bella shook her head,

"None of a romantic nature. Just my father" she replied,

"Oh surely you jest... A pretty young girl like you surely must have a suitor or... Perhaps your heart has been broken recently? Oh i'm sorry I shouldn't have..." Meg tried but Bella shook her head,

"Oh no, no, no, my lady it's nothing like that. I just don't have a suitor... and in order to have your heartbroken would mean having to have had one at all" Bella explained causing Meg to pout in a childish manner,

"Awwww I was hoping we could swap stories of our various romances. The sweet bliss of love! The first kiss, the first embrace, the first date, the first swapping of declarations of love" Meg listed gleefully but Bella could only giggle at the young woman's excitement,

"Well I only ever intend to offer my declaration of love to one man... When I say those words I want it to be only to the man whom shall forever hold my heart" Bella admitted with a soft bashful smile,

"Awwww that's so sweet" Meg said,

"Well I do hope you're luckier than I so that you might find him soon" Meg told Bella before standing and approached her wardrobe before pulling out two old dresses,

"Now... I do detest the style of last season's dresses but the patterns of the material used; I'm still keen on so I have to ask... Which one do you think suits me better?" she asked in excitement and Bella couldn't help but giggle as she and Meg began discussing material and dress designs.

* * *

It was later that night that Meg shamelessly entered Erik's private chambers so that she could show of her new dress,

"What do you think?" she asked flirtatiously but pouted when she realised Erik didn't even look up from the compositions he was writing when she entered the room,

"It's a dress" he mumbled simply before scratching yet another handful of notes to the sheet music on his desk,

"Oh don't be such a sourpuss. You didn't even look" she whined,

"It's not my opinion you should be thinking of but Lord Joseph's" Erik replied simply as Meg approached Mirror hanging on one of the walls of Erik's chambers and she twirled around so that she could admire her own reflection, completely ignoring what Erik had said,

"... I must thank you for making that girl one of the staff. She helped me find the perfect material" Meg stated,

"Well at least she was useful for something even if it is something as primitive as material selection" Erik grumbled and Meg pouted again, turning to look at him before smiling seductively before approaching his desk,

"Perhaps you would prefer to see me wearing something slightly less modest" she suggested, moving to stand next to him a pressed a whisper of a kiss to his smooth yet stubble cheek,

"I can assure you that I would sooner be interested in showering affection over that irritating village girl before I even considered developing admiration for you" Erik told her simply before standing, picking up his compositions before going and placing them in his music portfolio as Meg giggled,

"Oh you underestimate your abilities to charm a woman, Erik. Bella is far to proud and stubborn to ever fall for your charming nature" Meg stated simply,

"I could have any woman I wanted" Erik defended simply,

"Not this woman. Bella told me herself that she only intends to give her heart to the man she believes she shall spend the rest of her life with" Meg told him causing Erik to chuckle,

"That is a fantasy all woman have" he pointed out,

"And yet I am certain it is a fantasy that Bella shall strive to achieve and will settle for nothing less... She would not so easily be charmed by the likes of you no matter how much of a treasure she is unaware that you are" Meg whispered seductively whilst leaning against his desk,

"Bella may be stubborn but she is still a mere woman and all woman are weak when it comes to romance. I could easily win her heart if I so desired too" Erik said simply and Meg giggled,

"Care to put your money where your mouth is?" she pressed, watching as the masked prince chuckled,

"And what exactly would I get out of such a ridiculous wager?" he asked, turning to watch as Meg smirked,

"_IF _you succeed in getting Bella to speak her very first declaration of love to you then... I shall accept Lord Joseph's proposal of marriage without argument" Meg explained before approaching Erik and ran her pristine polished fingers down the his chest that was slightly open due to the v neck design of his shirt,

"... and _When _I win... When you fail to do so, my love... You have to propose to me" Meg whispered, leaning up to brush her lips against his own but Erik smirked, pulling away before she could do so,

"And just how long due I have to win this wager?... Lord Joseph arrives in only a weeks time" Erik pointed out,

"You delay Lord Joseph from proposing to me and I shall give you... a month in order to charm Bella" Meg told him, watching the thoughtful expression that the masked prince wore and Meg smiled offering her hand to him,

"Do we have a wager?" she asked sweetly and Erik looked at her hand before smirking,

"Indeed we do" he said before simply moving past her and returned to his desk so that he could begin a new composition.

* * *

**Oh dear :'( Quickly! Review For Chapter 4!**

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**DisneyGirl1996**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Turning On The Charm**

* * *

Erik made it a daily routine of his for the next week to observe Bella so that he could develop the best ways in which to charm her.

* * *

He discovered that despite Bella's obvious mature and stubborn manner... It was quite obvious that she had a pure and selfless heart when it came to thinking about others; He had observed how Bella had caught two street children from the local village breaking into the castle's kitchens to steal food... The masked prince watched curiously as Bella checked to make sure that no one else had seen them before retrieving them an extra loaf of fresh bread and some meat before sending them on their way.

* * *

It was only 2 weeks after making the bet with Meg that Erik deliberately made sure to be sat within the music room when Bella was scheduled to clean it... He released a light chuckle when he saw Bella enter the room before seeing him and turned to leave,

"Surely you are not so scared of me enough to find it unbearable to be in the same room" he teased with an amused smile when he saw Bella's room tense before turning back to him,

"I can hardly bare being in the same castle as you, never mind the same room" Bella told him before reluctantly entering the room, placing her bucket of water on the floor before kneeling down and began cleaning it,

"... Sometimes I think you are unaware of the fact of whom you are addressing when it comes to interacting with me" Erik told her with a slightly curious tone as he played a few scales on his piano,

"I am happy to cease all interactions with you if you are" Bella told him in a sarcastic manner and Erik chuckled, looking up so that he could watch her clean the floor,

"... If I am honest... I am glad you stood up to me in the village" Erik told her before returning to playing a small melody on his piano and hid his triumphant smile when he noticed Bella look at him with a curious yet confused expression,

"You are?..." she pressed sceptically, prompting the masked prince to look at her again,

"Indeed..." he answered before standing from his piano stood,

"My father was a great king and sometimes... I fear that I shall never be as loved as he was and... The frustration and anger born from that knowledge causes me to... lash out" Erik explained, watching as Bella folded her arms unimpressed,

"You practically torture the people because of your frustration... If this is the prince you are now then what kind of king will you be?" Bella demanded,

"... You are right... My father earned the people's respect by earning their love but... Ever since my injury... I felt that the people could barely stand the sight of me never mind the idea of me being their king... I decided to take their respect by inflicting fear..." Erik explained, turning away and moving to look out of the window at the valley in the distance,

"But... When you stood up to me... When you gave that man and his wife their food back... I realised just what I have become" Erik murmured,

"You locked me up in the dungeon for my actions" Bella pointed out,

"... I will admit that my stubborn nature made it so that it took some time to see the error of my ways and..." Erik struggled,

"... I apologise" he finished and it took everything in Bella to hide her surprise; She found herself taking a step back when the masked prince approached her,

"I hope that in time you might come to forgive me" he told her before offering a polite bow which caused Bella to become even more surprised,

"I... Thank you for your apology" Bella told him gently before going to turn to return to her cleaning but she stopped before looking back at him,

"But... It's not me you should be apologising too... If you truly are sorry for your past actions then you should return the food you have taken from the people" Bella told him and Erik had to hold himself back from clenching his fist in anger as he offered a polite smile and a bow of his head,

"Of course" he told her before leaving the room and Bella couldn't help but replay what had just happened over and over again inside her mind.

* * *

Erik returned to his study where he slammed the door behind him before flipping over his desk,

"How dare she tell me what to do" he growled to himself before storming over to a display case on which sat his crystal decanter of whisky which he poured himself a glass from before pacing back and forth as he began thinking,

"What does she know? Nothing, that's what" he mumbled to himself before allowing silence to fill the room but after a long moment the masked prince soon smiled smugly to himself,

"Ok... I shall indulge her this one time and show her just how 'sorry' I am and soon enough... I shall win the wager" Erik boasted before downing his glass of whisky in one gulp.

* * *

It was three days later that Bella was surprised to see Erik's men returning all the food to the people of the valley,

"I don't know what's gotten into him but it's wonderful to see him thinking about the people for a change" Nadir said happily and Bella couldn't help but nod in agreement.

* * *

It was on the balcony of the prince's study that Meg came to stand by Erik's side with a jealous look on her face as she saw him watching Bella help his men and the other servants return food to the villagers,

"Anyone would think you wanted to please her" Meg sneered causing Erik to smirk,

"Please her? No. Lure her into a false sense of security? Yes" Erik corrected before making his way back into his study whereas Meg continued to glare down at Bella from the balcony.

* * *

The next day found Erik in his study trying to draw up some official documents when he winced, raising a hand to touch his mask,

"... Are you ok?" a voice asked from the doorway causing Erik to look up and was surprised to find Bella standing in his doorway,

"What are you doing here? This room isn't scheduled to be cleaned" he mumbled, trying to return to his work despite the pain on the right side of his face,

"Yes I know... The people wanted to thank you for returning their food" Bella explained,

"... Well It was the right thing to do" Erik returned simply as Bella watched him reluctantly lifted a hand to his masked face again with a wince,

"Are you in pain?" Bella asked curiously,

"If you must know my injury causes me to have constant irritations and shooting pains to the right side of my face" Erik snapped in an irritated manner, standing abruptly from his desk and went to pour himself a glass of whisky... He rolled his eyes when Bella suddenly left the room but it was a few minuets later that found Erik frowning in confusion when she returned with a small jar of cream,

"I... My father obtained an injury during the war that would cause him similar problems and... I would make him this ointment to help ease the pain" Bella explained, offering him the jar which he reluctantly accepted,

"... It's a simple recipe consisting of milk, honey and plain yogurt so if it helps then you can just say and... I'll make more" Bella told him and Erik couldn't help but wear a surprised frown as he remained silent,

"Anyway... I'll leave you to your work" Bella said before going to leave,

"... Thank you" Erik called after her after a moment and he watched Bella look back at him before nodding gently and then left.

* * *

Later that afternoon found everyone in the castle getting ready for Lord Joseph's arrival and Carlotta had instructed Bella to go and place fresh towels in all the guest rooms so that whichever one Lord Joseph would choose would be ready for him,

"Ahh and who might this young siren be" Lord Joseph asked when Bella emerged from one of the guest rooms whilst Erik was giving him a tour; Bella flinched when Joseph lifted her chin so he could examine her face better before smirking at Erik over his shoulder,

"Perhaps a welcoming gift? You're too kind, sire" Joseph chuckled and Bella was surprised when Erik instantly put himself between Bella and the lord so that he could give him an expression of warning,

"A man whom intends on proposing to one woman should not be making such crude comments aimed towards another" Erik told Joseph whom nodded despite his smirk,

"Of course you are right, my prince" Joseph said before winking at Bella as Erik moved, and gestured down the corridor for he and Joseph to continue on with the tour... Bella couldn't help but notice how the prince looked back at her after walking away.

* * *

**Uh oh is Bella falling for Erik's charms or is it Erik that's falling for her? Review for Chapter 5!**

**Kind Regards,**

**DisneyGirl1996**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Soft Yet Strong**

* * *

Erik, Lord Joseph and Meg were having dinner in the grand dining room whilst Lord Joseph was unsuccessfully attempting to impress Meg with a story of how he had slayed three rabbits with only one bullet... Obviously a lie but Meg simply rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to her plate as she continued eating; Joseph frowned in disappointment due to Meg's reaction and he turned to look at Bella whom was helping Nadir serve wine,

"My sweet siren. What say you to my successful kill?" he pressed, obviously looking for praise but Bella could only frown,

"Forgive me, Lord Joseph but killing defenceless animals for sport and amusement is something I don't support or encourage" Bella told him politely causing Joseph to look as if he had just swallowed a sour sweet by mistake,

"I see... You are obviously a woman of specific tastes... Tell me what do you enjoy?" he asked,

"Oh nothing that would interest a man such as yourself, i'm sure" Bella said, trying to dodge any further interaction as she moved to refill Erik's glass with red wine; Joseph chuckled,

"Nonsense. There must be something you enjoy. My darling bride to be enjoys dancing... Perhaps you will indulge us with a performance my love?" Joseph said, turning his attention to Meg with a bright smile but it quickly vanished when Meg glared at him,

"I haven't accepted your proposal yet" she warned him firmly as Nadir came to pour Joseph a fresh glass of scotch,

"If you are in need of entertainment, my lord then perhaps Bella will agree to tell you a charming tale that she recited to myself and the other staff earlier this evening" Nadir suggested causing Bella to look at the Persian with a horrified expression,

"Oh no, I couldn't..." she tried,

"Nadir's suggestion has me intrigued. What is the nature of this tale?" Erik asked curiously, taking a sip of his wine,

"It's... It's just a tale that my mother used to tell me when I was young" Bella admitted timidly and Meg smiled brightly, clapping her hands in excitement,

"Oh I love stories! Do tell it, Bella!" she insisted,

"Well... Once upon a time... There was a princess and..." Bella began timidly,

"After losing her mother; Her father became so protective that he kept his daughter within the castle walls from a very young age... This caused the princess to grow up knowing very little of the world but despite this... She longed for love" Bella continued and Meg sighed,

"Oh how romantic" she said softly as Bella continued,

"One night the princess spotted the most stunning star from her bedroom tower window and instantly she fell in love... In her heart she believed that this star lived to shine only for her because it loved her in return..." Bella explained,

"Preposterous. Who ever heard something as silly as someone falling in love with a star?" Joseph scoffed and chuckled before downing another glass of his whisky,

"Silence" Erik warned firmly with a growl before gesturing for Bella to continue,

"... Well... The princess longed for each night when she could see her beloved star but then her 18th birthday arrived and her father surprised her by telling her that he intended to take her out into the kingdom to watch a magnificent fireworks display... The princess was so excited but when the night of her birthday came... Just before the fireworks were released into the heavens... She saw the kingdom's people admiring the very same star that she loved so dearly... Her heart was broken because she realised that her belief of the star loving her in return was nothing but lies and she felt so betrayed..." Bella explained sadly, Meg sniffled sadly, wiping tears from her cheek with her handkerchief,

"... The princess died of a broken heart that very same night but despite everything... She became just as bright a star shining beside the one she had loved so much" Bella finished with a sad smile and Meg sighed,

"Oh what a wonderful story" she exclaimed,

"Not much of a happy ending" Erik pointed out but Bella shrugged her shoulders gently,

"Sometimes stories don't have happy endings. It's a cruel and unfortunate reality in some situations" Bella reasoned but frowned when Joseph chuckled,

"If you as me. The only good thing that comes from love is having a partner to share your bed" he slurred drunkenly and Bella couldn't help but cringe when he blew a sloppy kiss in her direction before falling to the floor and began releasing drunken cackles of laughter due to the numerous glasses of scotch catching up with him.

* * *

Bella was cleaning the dishes from the rather disastrous meal; She was having to clean them alone due to Lady Carlotta having dragged herself off to bed early, complaining that she was suffering from a migraine,

"I hope i'm not disturbing" A voice spoke up causing Bella to turn and become surprised to find the masked prince standing there,

"... Not at all, sire. Is there something I can help you with?" Bella asked,

"I just wanted to apologise on behalf of Lord Joseph for mocking the story from your childhood... If I am honest, despite it's lack of a happy ending I found the tale quite endearing" Erik admitted,

"Oh... Thank you. That's very kind of you" Bella replied gently, tilting her head curiously when the prince began avoiding eye contact with her in a bashful manner,

"I... I was hoping that perhaps you wouldn't mind making me another jar of your homemade ointment... for my injury... I have found myself without any irritation since I began using it but now the jar you gave me is unfortunately empty" Erik explained and Bella couldn't help but smile at his timidness,

"Of course, sire" she told him before moving and retrieving the ingredients she needed and in less that a minuet she had a fresh jar of ointment ready which she offered to the masked prince whom smiled at her thankfully,

"... You should do that more often" he told her,

"Do what?... Make you more cream?" Bella pressed, watching as the prince chuckled,

"No... I meant... Smile... It's like looking at a bright star" he told her gently before bidding her goodnight and he left the room; Bella couldn't help but smile softly with a slight blush staining her cheeks.

* * *

Erik exited the kitchen and was met by a giggling Meg,

"Very well done. You might just win our wager" she teased lightly,

"I have every faith that I will" Erik replied simply with a firm expression,

"Well you better up your efforts. You only have until the month's end to get her to relinquish her very first spoken 'I love you' if you want me to accept Lord Joseph's proposal" Meg reminded him and Erik grumbled in irritation before smirking at Meg smugly,

"Believe me. If I had wanted her to say it now then she would have done but why stop the game now? It's just starting to become fun" Erik said before heading off upstairs to his study and Meg rolled her eyes due to his stubborn nature before heading off to her own room... Niether of them noticed how Nadir emerged from behind the dining room door where he had been listening in on their conversation and he couldn't help the horrified expression that he wore on his face.

* * *

**WILL NADIR TELL BELLA BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE?! REVIEW FOR CHAPTER 6!**

**Kind Regards,**

**DisneyGirl1996**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Empty**

* * *

Erik was in his study and had a frowning expression of thought as he applied some new notes to a composition he was working on when a knock was applied to his door,

"... Enter" he mumbled whilst still having most of his attention on his sheet music; He looked up as Nadir entered the room,

"Ah, Good morning, Nadir" Erik acknowledged,

"Good morning, sire... I was hoping to discuss a delicate manner with you" Nadir told him,

"Oh? What's on your mind?" Erik asked curiously, pulling himself away from composing to look at his manservant whom was avoiding eye contact with him causing the masked prince to become concerned,

"Nadir?..." he pressed,

"I... Usually I would not interfere with your personal life, sire but... I fear that it would be dishonourable of me not too..." Nadir admitted,

"... I know that... I know that Bella has disrespected you in the past and that you, personally have found her presence in the castle to be somewhat of an... irritation but... I feel it my duty to state my discomfort of having heard your and lady Meg's intentions of making Bella the goal of some cruel wager" Nadir admitted and Erik felt himself grow cold as he stood from his desk... A long silence filling the room,

"I have never known you to stand up to me, Nadir..." Erik noted with a numb tone,

"... Usually I would not, sire but... When it involves your intending to mess with a young girl's heart... I'm afraid that I could not bring myself to remain silent..." Nadir told him as the masked prince approached him,

"And... Have you told Bella of what you have learned?" Erik asked with a firm expression, watching as Nadir shook his head,

"No, sire... I thought about doing so but... I feel that it is you whom should tell her" he told him and Erik was silent for another long moment before turning away from Nadir and moving to go and look out the window,

"... I do not understand your concern if I am honest, Nadir... The wager involving Bella between myself and Lady Meg is merely a harmless game" Erik said simply,

"For god's sake, sire. What you intend to do is cruel!" Nadir snapped, causing Erik to look at him surprised and Nadir's angry expression became sad,

"... please, sire... You'll break her heart" the Persian begged,

"The maid means nothing to me, Nadir. Why should I care about what happens to her heart?" Erik asked simply before turning to return to his desk,

"Nothing... Nothing at all..." a new voice spoke up causing Erik and Nadir to turn back to find Bella standing in the doorway, holding a large jar of cream,

"Bella..." Erik tried,

"I'm sorry I just thought you might find A larger jar of cream more useful but I can see that your busy..." she tried, passing the jar to Nadir before leaving and Erik was quick to follow,

"Bella, wait..." he insisted,

"I can assure you that nothing more need be said" Bella replied simply as she made her way down the staircase,

"I can explain" Erik tried and Meg emerged from the parlour having heard the commotion whilst enjoying her morning tea; Bella tried her best to compose herself before turning back to look at Erik,

"Ok... Please do explain to me then because I would actually like to know the nature of this bet that I was the goal of" Bella told the masked prince firmly,

"... It really doesn't matter about the details" Erik tried and Meg couldn't help but develop an amused smile due to the knowledge that she was about to win their bet,

"Come now, Erik. Don't be shy" Meg teased,

"Silence!" Erik yelled at her angrily before looking back at Bella with a sad expression mixed with shame,

"... Lady Meg... Boasted of how much of a proud woman you were and of how I could never succeed in... Charming you..." Erik admitted,

"She stated of how you had told her of your intentions to only declare your love to the man you intended to spend the rest of your life with and I... I said that I would only need a month in order to charm you enough into offering that declaration to me" Erik finished, closing his eyes in shame when she noticed the stubborn tear that escaped down Bella's cheek which she quickly wiped away,

"I see... And what exactly were the both of you to win upon winning this bet?" Bella demanded firmly, watching as Erik sighed,

"... If I were to succeed then... Lady Meg would accept Lord Joseph's proposal without argument but if I were to fail then I would have to ask for her hand in marriage myself" Erik admitted causing Meg to smile smugly,

"And due to you having now learned of our wager means I obviously win" Meg boasted, clapping her hands in excitement,

"... You would think so" Bella spoke up suddenly causing Erik, Nadir and Meg to look at Bella in surprise as Bella looked at Meg with a firm expression,

"... Obviously I have learned of the prince's intentions before the expiry date of your wager arrived... I will not see him forced into proposing to someone whom he doesn't wish to be with... Nor will I see you forced into accepting a proposal you do not wish to accept..." Bella said before turning back to look at Erik as another stubborn tear escaped down her cheek,

"... I'll put your wager at a stalemate so both of you win and yet at the same time you will both lose..." Bella said simply,

"Bella, don't..." Erik tried,

"I offer you empty words, sire... Your bet with lady meg didn't state who would win if the declaration of love I gave was nothing but words and words alone..." Bella interrupted as she continued to glare up at him,

"... I love you" she mumbled, another tear escaping down her other cheek before she dragged her eye contact away from the prince,

"... I hope you're both very amused" Bella told them before turning away and quickly made her way to the grand doors that led out of the castle, not bothering to close them behind her as she left.

* * *

**Uh oh :'( Will Erik see Bella again?**

**Review For Chapter 7!**

**Kind Regards,**

**DisneyGirl1996**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Silent Words, Loud Actions**

* * *

The castle seemed a lot more silent since Bella left and Meg had locked herself away in her room, moaning of how Bella had ruined everything by forcing her and Erik's bet into a stalemate so that they wouldn't get married as she had intended,

"Stupid servant girl" she mumbled as she sniffled sadly before once again sobbing in a rather dramatic and childish manner into her pillow.

* * *

Erik sat within his study at his desk but instead of focusing on his compositions as he normally would; He was staring at the direction of the window that offered a beautiful view of the valley,

"Sire?..." Nadir called after having knocked on the door to Erik's study but received no response,

"... Not now, Nadir" Erik mumbled after a long moment,

"Forgive me, sire but... You haven't left your study for the last three days... Myself and the rest of the servants are starting to become concerned" Nadir explained gently, noting how the prince's gaze never left the window,

"... It was only a harmless joke" Erik mumbled more to himself,

"... Just a harmless prank to amuse myself..." he continued as he looked down at the blank page of sheet music,

"And yet... Ever since Bella left... Ever since I saw that look in her eyes... I... I don't know what it was but... I still see it... Every time I close my eyes, I see that look in her eyes and I don't know why but... It hurts..." Erik struggled, closing his eyes in tired frustration,

"... Forgive me for saying so sire but... When you lost your fiance. Princess Christine... You mourned for so long and... At one point I feared that the kingdom was going to lose you as well as her... The process you went through was so destructive and it was only as the 2nd year since Christine's death passed that you began to settle despite still being so... Numb..." Nadir explained,

"... I think... I think that losing Christine may have... That losing her may have caused you to become oblivious to the feelings of others" Nadir told him and feared that he may have just spoken something that was about to cause the prince's infamous anger... But all the prince did was sigh sadly before standing from his desk chair and approached the window before turning after a moment to look at Nadir,

"... What do I do?" Erik asked, earning Nadir's expression of surprise,

"Well, I..." He struggled,

"For god's sake, Nadir. I need your help! What do I do?!" he demanded,

"... I can't tell you that, sire. This is something you need to figure out and fix yourself" Nadir told him honestly and Erik sighed, allowing a long silence to fill the room before finally nodding in agreement and Nadir offered a polite traditional bow before leaving the room.

* * *

Bella was back in the village and had returned to her usual day to life; She was currently helping her father in the vegetable patch of their garden and her father couldn't continue ignoring the sad expression on his daughter's face,

"... Are you sure you don't want to talk about what happened at the castle?" he pressed gently,

"There's nothing to tell" Bella replied simply, not looking up at him as she continued to clean the freshly dug up vegetables,

"... You keep saying that but your face tells a different story, Bella..." the farmer pressed gently,

"It's nothing" Bella told him firmly before sighing sadly as she tried her best to stop tears from falling,

"... I just want to forget about it... Please" She pleaded gently when suddenly a royal messenger rode up to their farm causing both Bella and her father to look up as the messenger dismounted from his horse,

"I come bringing a gift from Prince Erik" he told them before retrieving a parcel from his horse's travel bag which he presented to Bella whom looked at the parcel wrapped in brown paper before removing the wrapping to reveal the elegant box of royal blue velvet material which she opened, revealing a stunning diamond necklace... Bella's father's eyes widened in shock,

"That must be worth a fortune" he murmured but Bella simply closed the box before handing the box and wrapping paper back to the messenger,

"I appreciate you coming all the way here to deliver this but you can tell your prince that I'm not interested in anything he has to give or say" Bella said simply,

"Errr Bella..." The girl's father tried causing Bella to look at him instantly,

"You can accept it if you want but I want nothing to do with him or his petty attempts of trying to erase what he did to me... That's all I'm saying on the matter" Bella told him firmly before storming off into the farm house and slamming the door behind her.

* * *

Erik sent multiple gifts to Bella in forms of elegant bouquets, chocolates, jewellery, dresses of the finest silk but all were returned by the royal messenger whom would have to awkwardly explain that Bella expressed that she wasn't interested in anything the prince had to give... One response from Bella was different from the best when Erik decided to send a fine pig that would assist Bella and her father's farm to flourish,

"... Miss Bella said to say... _'My father happily accepts the pig... But It shall be when Hell freezes over that I accept the bigger pig's apology'" _The messenger admitted much to Erik's dismay whereas Nadir couldn't help but snort in amusement causing Erik to shoot a warning glare in his manservant's direction,

"I'm sorry but you have to admit the girl knows how to put you in your place, sire" the Persian pointed out with a chuckle and Erik couldn't help the amused smile that developed on his face as he nodded in agreement.

* * *

**What will Erik do next? Review for chapter 8!**

**Kind Regards,**

**DisneyGirl1996**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: What It Takes**

* * *

Bella was tending to the garden yet again when the royal coach pulled up; Nadir was in the drivers seat, holding the reigns,

"Bella! It's so good to see you" he called as he climbed down to greet her and Bella couldn't help but smile,

"Nadir, It's good to see you too" she told him before going up and hugging him but her smile vanished when Erik emerged from the carriage,

"... and now I'm feeling quiet the opposite" she mumbled, turning away and collecting her basket of freshly harvested vegetables but turned back upon hearing a rather sickening squishing sound; The prince cringed after exiting the carriage and accidentally stepped into a pile of pig droppings,

"Urrr Erik" Bella scolded,

"It's not my fault. I didn't know it was there" the prince reading,

"I wasn't talking to you. I was scolding the pig" Bella snapped at him and Nadir had to hold back his laughter as he watched Bella usher the pig that had only been gifted to her and her father only a week earlier; Back into its pen,

"Bella? I was hoping that I could speak with you" Erik called after her as she walked over to the well so that she could begin cleaning the freshly harvested vegetables,

"Do I have to listen?" Bella mumbled sarcastically in response causing Erik to offer an awkward chuckle and smile,

"Well I was rather hoping that you would" he told her,

"I want to apologise" he explained gently,

"And I have told your messenger a total of 25 times that I'm not interested in your apologies" Bella told him, continuing to wash the vegetables; Erik looked at Nadir for assistance whom gave him a gesture for him to continue and Erik took a step towards Bella,

"... What I did was wrong and I hope that one day you might find it in your heart to forgive me" Erik told her gently and was surprised when Bella turned towards him suddenly,

"Why should I?" she asked sharply,

"Err... Well... I..." Erik struggled having been surprised by her sudden question,

"You give me one good reason why I should forgive you and I will" Bella told him firmly and Erik wore an awkward expression as he looked towards Nadir whom gave a nod of encouragement so that Erik looked back at Bella whom was still looking at him expectantly with her arms folded,

"Well... Because... Because I am sorry for what I did and... I feel awful about it" Erik said in a rather lame manner causing Nadir to put his face in his hand and Bella closed her eyes, shaking her head before offering Erik a smile that held absolutely no amusement,

"... You are unbelievable" she stated,

"I just..." Erik tried but Bella held up a hand making him fall silent,

"Your apologising because _you_ feel awful and because _you _want to feel better... You're a selfish man whom thinks of no one but himself. You humiliated me for your own amusement and despite saying that you know what you did was wrong... You don't even have the first idea or understanding as to how much you hurt me" Bella told him sadly,

"What do you want from me? More empty words? Because I don't think I owe you even that... Just go away and leave me alone" Bella told him before moving past him to go back into the farmhouse; Nadir looked at the masked prince in a sympathetic manner after Bella closed the door behind her... But the manservant frowned when the prince turned towards the door that Bella vanished through,

"... You're right, Bella" Erik said after a moment of silence as he looked down at the ground in shame,

"... I'm a selfish man whom thinking of himself before anyone else... I do not even think _'man' _is an appropriate description... The way I have acted is more the actions people would expect of a monster... I suppose that is what I am... It's what I became when I lost my love... My Christine... She was my life, my heart, the very light of day in my life... She's the very first thing I think about when I wake up... And she's the last thing I think about when I go to sleep..." Erik murmured sadly and Nadir was stunned... Erik refused to ever speak about Christine since her passing and yet here he was pouring his heart out...,

"... Since I lost her I've been trying to compose a special piece of music in her memory but... I've never been able to finish it. I have started multiple compositions but... The ending just refuses to come to me" The masked prince admitted,

"... But now... Since you left... I can't even bring myself to start a composition... When you left the castle... All the music left with you, Bella" Erik murmured, approaching the door to the farmhouse and placed a gentle hand upon the wooden boards,

"... You're right... I want your forgiveness so that this horrible feeling will go away... So that I can feel better" he admitted,

"All those gifts I sent. I thought that they would make things better but... The one thing I never actually did was what I'm doing now... I should have come here in person... But not before trying to understand just how much I hurt you... And now that I do understand... I can't bring myself to ask for your forgiveness because I don't deserve it..." Erik murmured with a frown of realisation as Nadir couldn't help but smile proudly, closing his eyes as tears fell down his cheeks,

"I shall not bother you again but know this... I offer you my vow that from this day forward. What I do shall be for the kingdom, for the people and I shall never think of myself again... You make me want to be a better man, Bella... You've made me a better man" he corrected gently before nodding,

"I'll leave you now" he said, turning away and headed for the carriage but paused in his actions when a low squeak sounded as the wooden door opened and Bella looked at him with a cautious frown,

"... You're not just... You're not just offering me charming words and moving statements like last time... Are you?" she asked gently and Erik smiled gently, understanding her caution and he shook his head,

"No" he promised,

"... You didn't just say all that to get me to forgive you?... Like when you said all those nice things before to try and get me to offer you my first declaration of love?..." She asked, trying to stop tears from falling,

"No... In fact..." Erik began before approaching her and offered his hand to hers which Bella slowly and hesitantly placed hers within,

"... I release you from the declaration you gave, Bella...The declaration I stole... As far as I'm aware. Those words were never spoken and that moment never happened" Erik told her simply causing Bella to allow a tear to finally escape down her cheek as Erik gently released her hand,

"I'll not ask your forgiveness but please know that I am sorry..." he began when Bella suddenly hugged him tightly and Erik was stunned as he slowly hugged her back as Bella allowed more tears to fall as she closed her eyes,

"... I forgive you" she whispered in a shaking tone and Erik couldn't help but smile as he closed his eyes in relief as Nadir smiled, watching the tended moment as he shed tears of his own.

* * *

**Review For Chapter 9!**

**Kind Regards,**

**DisneyGirl1996**


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